Some time ago, i began the practice of recalling the departed by their exact name. This went fine until lately, as my nearly 80 y.o. memory began to fail. I had an instructor in coll. i wanted to remember, but i couldn't recall his name from the beginning. he had served in the RAF as an observer in a British Mosquito aircraft i strongly wanted to remember him. still can't---but i'll work on it. one might suppose he, as an American, later received no G. I. benefits, but i remember him anyway. it will make a difference somewhere, somehow.
i made the claim a while ago, that i had an herb garden in my heart. just a small one--- three herbs, Herbert E. Hopkins, Herbert Craig and Herbert Knudsen. I visit there from time to time, gaze gratefully on their faces, maybe recite a brief prayer, and leave. The 1st one was my high school English instructor & friend, secretly mentor, the second was the rector of my church, St. Mark's in Augusta, Maine and the third was my instructor in several courses in entomology beginning in 1950, my long career and pleasure in entomology.
Herbie Hopkins evidently left no heirs, but i am prepared to be one. He was a kind, patient, generous(with his time) man.He evidently recognized some potential or other in me, and encouraged me in as many ways as he could.
very likely, no one will read this blog, but these people are remembered anyway.
Herb Craig was a model pastor, who preached wonderful sermons, without notes, sometimes injecting some lines of poetry.
Without the early patient guidance of Dr. Knudsen, i might not have noticed the wonders of entomology which have been a life-long pleasure to me.
in each case of my herbs, they all shared a quality of patience, which I lack.
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